All she wanted to do was sleep.

If Evelyn had thought having one child was challenging, having two was a real test. Rafe had stayed with her as long as he could, but it was inevitable he was going to have to fly again. His commanding officer had kept him out of combat rotation as long as he could and Rafe had gotten more time than he'd expected.

The girls had tried to help her as much as they could after Rafe had left on an extended mission and Evelyn's mother had come out for a couple of weeks. After her mother left, Rafe's mother had come to help as well. But eventually, she was left with her son and her new daughter, Sarah Jane McCawley.

Danny had been particularly difficult since Rafe had been gone because he no longer had his mother's undivided attention. Evelyn knew he resented it but there was nothing she could do. She tried as best she could to spend time with him but Sarah needed her almost constantly. She would try and explain this to him, but she wasn't sure how much he understood. It was at times like this she really wished Rafe were home.

It was during a visit from Barbara one afternoon when Sarah was about a month and a half old that Evelyn talked to her friend about the situation. "I feel so useless sometimes because Rafe can talk to Danny and he seems to understand. I try to talk to him and he has a tantrum."

"I wish I knew what to tell you." Barbara sighed. "But not having a kid of my own, I can't really help."

Evelyn smiled and took her friend's hand. "It helps just having you here."

Barbara grinned back. "A big help I am. But have you talked to Rafe about this?"

"Of course. But there isn't a lot he can do when he's away. I just make sure he spends as much time as he can with Danny when he's home."

"Then that's all you can do, Ev. It's just going to take Danny some time to realize that he's not the baby anymore." She reasoned.

"I really am glad you're here." And she hugged her.

"Anytime, honey."

"So how is the baby doing? You insisted on checking her out when you got here and you haven't told me anything."

"She's fine. Healthy and very happy and you already knew that."

Evelyn smiled. "I did. But I'm a mother before I'm a nurse and having someone else to check on her makes me feel better."

"Then I was glad to do it."

Evelyn leaned back in the sofa and sighed. "This is the first time since Sarah was born that I can remember it being so quiet. I actually managed to get the two of them to sleep at the same time."

Barbara looked at her with concern because her friend looked so tired. "Since the kids are both sleeping, why don't you go get some rest. I'll stay here and look after them when they wake up."

"I can't ask you to do that. This is your day off and you should be relaxing."

"You didn't ask me Ev, I volunteered. You need to get some rest and I'm here, so go get some rest." She insisted.

Evelyn nodded and stood up. She stretched and then yawned before she looked at Barbara with gratitude. "What would I have done if Rafe and I gone back East?"

"You wouldn't be sleeping, that's for sure." And she laughed.

Evelyn grinned at her and walked down the hall to the bedroom. When she got there she laid down on the bed and pulled a blanket over herself. She sighed and fell into a deep sleep.

She slept so soundly that she didn't hear voices in the living room. She didn't hear the door open that Barbara had closed when she came to check on her friend.

She slept so soundly she did not hear that door close again or feel the bed dip after a moment as her returning husband lay down next to her.

He put his arm around her and fell asleep himself.

When she finally awoke she wasn't sure if she really was awake because the dream she had had of Rafe being home was so real, she could almost feel his arm around her. It wasn't until she stretched that she knew it wasn't a dream.

When she turned over he was laying there looking at her. He had a smile on his face that told her he'd been watching her for quite awhile. He leaned over to kiss her and pull her close. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back. He'd been gone such a long time and she'd missed him desperately.

It wasn't until much later that they lay together and Rafe kissed her cheek. "As much as I love the kids, this is what I miss the most. Bein' close to you."

Evelyn was snuggled against him. "Me too."

The baby started to cry and she tried to get up, only to have Rafe stop her. "Barbara said she'd stay as long as we need her, so let her get the baby."

She could feel her face turn ten shades of red as she looked at her husband. "You mean she was here while we..." And her voice trailed off.

Rafe grinned at her. "Evelyn McCawley, why so shy?"

She buried her face in his chest and laughed. "Why do you think?" Came the muffled reply.

He laughed at her bashfulness and lifted her chin so he could look at her. "You have nothing to be shy about. She took Danny out to the front yard to play."

The baby had stopped crying and Evelyn sighed. "I'm being silly I know."

"Not silly honey, just modest. It's one of the many things I love about you."

"What are the other things?" She smiled as he leaned over and kissed her again.

When they finally got up, they got dressed and Evelyn went to feed the baby. Danny was in his playpen when Rafe went out the living room and thanked Barbara for staying as long as she did.

"It's a good thing you came home when you did. She's been having a rough time of it." She told him.

Rafe nodded. "It was hard enough to leave her when it was just Danny, now it's almost impossible."

"I know, but this war can't last forever and then you won't have to go away anymore."

"We've been at war for almost two years. The way things are goin' we'll be at this for awhile longer."

"As long as you come through it alive, I can bear it." Evelyn's comment got Rafe and Barbara to turn toward the hallway.

"You look much better Ev. Rafe being home really agrees with you." And she tried not to grin.

Evelyn could feel her face flush and Rafe grinned at her. "It agrees with me too."

Barbara shook her head in amusement. "I'll leave you two alone now. Or at least as alone as you can be with two kids." She got her purse from the kitchen table, headed to the front door and then looked at Rafe. "Take your wife out to dinner or to a movie while you're home. The girls and I would love to take care of the kids."

He put his arm around Evelyn who'd come to stand next to him. "We'll take you up on that very soon." He said.

"Good. I've got the early shift tomorrow so I've got to get going."

"Thanks for everything Barbara. I really appreciate what you did for me today." Evelyn told her.

"It was nothing honey. I was glad to do it." And she was gone.

Danny had been sitting quietly watching the exchange between the adults when Rafe walked over to him and picked him up. "I understand you've been givin' your mama some trouble son. It's time we have a talk about that." He grinned at the boy and after he sat down on the sofa, settled Danny in his lap and began to talk to him.